A few things I'm not ready to forget yet...Asian edition

The look on In Tho's face when she rode up on her motorbike--reunion after 4 long years.

The feeling of Halong Bay on a misty morning.

Dodging motorbikes on the sidewalks of Phnom Penh, and watching the huge motorbike streams in Saigon.

Sitting in a small plastic chair, drinking bia hanoi, on a street corner in Hanoi's old quarter, watching the world go by.

The real majesty of Angkor Wat, and getting to sit in it as long as I wanted.

The approach to Phnom Rung--including having to hitch after my motorbike taxi broke down going up the mountain.

The train ride out to the Isan, where I ordered the train food--watching all the locals watching and laughing at me choke just a little bit on the spices.

Witthaya

Discovering the back streets of Bangkok's Chinatown...finding new corners of that city on my 5th and 6th time through it.

Beach walks on Koh Jum with Jeff Dietrich.

The relief I felt at having Bekah come to Bangkok.

Playing hackey at the covered bridge in Hoi An.

The true bizarreness that is Cao Dai, and especially its church.

Motorbiking outside Nha Trang, and being force-fed about a pound of homemade rice cakes by a few old, sweet Vietnamese grandmas, after the long hike to the waterfalls.

Nights spent with Witthaya, In Tho, and Khorp Dter.

Actually losing to Khorp Dter in checkers.  He's 6 years old.

Days teaching at Ban Mae Na School and being treated like a rock star.

Parnthaya, the 5th grader who I could make giggle with a glance....just as she had been the 2nd grader that I could make giggle with a glance last time I was there.

$5 dollar hourlong massages.

Intira's stuffing me with food and affection outside of the classroom, and being a Napoleon inside the classroom.

The generosity of my friends and family stateside who helped me raise all that money for the scholarships at Mae Na School.

Motorbiking the back roads near Chiang Dao and going up to the caves with Bekah.

Meat "balls" soup in Chiang Mai.

Sunsets and cheap booze and spines in my foot in Sihanoukville.

Saying goodbye to my Thai family, with the sincere promise of going back there soon enough.